The present invention relates to a firearm and, more particularly, to a firearm which includes a barrel holder for accommodating interchangeable barrels wherein a breechblock housing connected to the stock includes, at a forward zone or area thereof, a recess with an abutment surface for absorbing recoil forces, with a tubular member, fixedly joined to a rear end of the barrel and encompassing the barrel, which includes a downwardly projecting extension fitting into a recess, and wherein the breechblock housing and the tubular member are detachably connected with each other by a further connecting member, and a chamber of a cylinder breech mechanism engages into a locking mechanism at the end of the barrel.
In a conventional firearm of the aforementioned type with a barrel holder for interchangeable barrels such as, for example, a firearm proposed in Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,248,620, the breechblock housing includes a transverse groove engaged by an extension of the tubular member, with a screw being provided as a further mounting element, which screw is inserted in a transverse bore of the breechblock housing and threaded into a thread provided in the extension. The extension is fixedly clamped by the screw onto a bottom of the groove in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the barrel.
While in the above noted conventional firearm, the connection between the barrel and the breechblock housing can respectively be released and reestablished in a relatively simple manner, a disadvantage of this conventional firearm resides in the fact that, in all situations, the release and reconnection between the barrel and the breechblock can only be effected through the use of a tool, namely, a hexagonal socket wrench. Moreover, the respective loosening and tightening of the screw requires a certain expenditure of time and, if the screw is not very carefully and firmly tightened, the connection between the tubular member and the breechblock housing will loosen after a firing of several rounds or shots from the firearm.
Further disadvantages of the conventional construction reside in the fact that the screw and/or wrench may easily be lost. Additionally, due to the fact that all connecting parts between the tubular member and the breechblock housing, that is, the extension, the groove, and the screw, interlock at the same location along a relatively short axial length, the thus-established connection between the respective parts is not especially rugged.
The aim underlying the present invention essentially resides in providing a firearm with a barrel holder for interchangeable barrels of the aforementioned type wherein a connection between the tubular member and the breechblock housing can respectively be rapidly released and reestablished in an especially rugged and exact fashion without employing any type of tool and without any danger of loosing any connecting elements.
In accordance with the present invention, a firearm with a barrel holder for interchangeable barrels is provided wherein a tubular member has a relatively long or large axial length and extends from a locking mechanism toward the front of the firearm to a position beyond the cartridge chamber, with an extension being provided at a rear end of the tubular member. An abutment surface is provided which includes an undercut portion extending over the extension at least partially from above, with a downwardly projecting second extension being arranged at the forward end of the tubular member, which second extension includes a lock recess. The breechblock housing is extended up into a zone or area of the second extension and, at that location, carries a lock bolt cooperating with the lock recess.
By virtue of the above-noted features of the present invention, it is possible to effect rapid release and reconnection of the barrel without the utilization of any type of special tool. More particularly, for releasing the barrel, the lock bolt is merely urged from a blocking or locking position into a released position, whereupon the forward portion of the barrel can be swung or pivoted upwardly with respect to the breechblock housing and the stock of the firearm. After a pivoting angle of about 20.degree.-30.degree., the rearward extension can be pulled out of the associated recess in the direction of the barrel axis. Consequently, for assembly purposes, the rearward extension is inserted in the recess so that the rear end of the extension contacts with the abutment surface of the recess. The forward end of the barrel is, at this point, swung downwardly by about 20.degree.-30.degree., with respect to the breechblock housing and the stock, during which action or step the forward extension comes into a range of the lock bolt. It is then merely necessary to press the lock bolt into its locking position, or a spring-loaded lock bolt automatically engages into the lock recess of the forward extension and, consequently, the assembly is thus completed.
Since, in accordance with the present invention, all connecting elements are respectively fixedly connected to the barrel and to the breechblock housing, and since there is no need for any special tool, as can readily be appreciated, there is no danger of loss of any parts required for removing and/or reestablishing the connection. Moreover, the rapid assembly and disassembly afforded by the present invention not only makes it possible to exchange one barrel against a barrel of a different caliber, but also facilitates a separation of the barrel from the breechblock housing and the remainder of the stock for purposes of, for example, shipping, storing, and cleaning.
Additionally, since, in accordance with the present invention, the tubular member exhibits a relatively long axial length and is provided at both ends thereof with extensions serving for connection to the breechblock housing, a very rugged and exact connection is created between the barrel and the breechblock housing, thereby ensuring a high firing accuracy even immediately after connecting the two components.
Furthermore, with the large axial spacing of the two extensions and of the parts of the breechblock housing cooperating therewith, by virtue of the present invention, it is possible to impart to the barrel the maximum possible directional stability. Also, the relatively long tubular member affords the mounting of a relatively long receiving prism so as to enable the mounting of a scope sight thereof, thereby rendering the firearm of the present invention capable of accommodating scope sights of various makes and of a great variety of lengths. Additionally, the telescopic sight can remain connected to the barrel while detaching the barrel from the breechblock housing.
Advantageously, according to the present invention, the barrel comprises, a rear barrel end thereof, a breech head integrally formed with the barrel and comprising several radially inwardly projecting locking projections cooperating with the cartridge chamber and the barrel includes, forwardly of the breech head, in a forward zone of the cartridge chamber, a smaller diameter than the breech head. The barrel is inserted from the rear in a longitudinal bore of the tubular member with a section thereof, smaller in diameter, and is soldered or glued to the tubular member. The construction of the present invention simplifies the manufacturing of the barrel in the tubular member, for the barrel is essentially only a turned part. The tubular member can be manufactured as a precision casting not requiring any refinishing since, in the arrangement of the present invention, it does not constitute a part of the cylinder breech mechanism. Also, in this case, the tubular member can be connected with barrels of differing calibers. The barrel may have a relatively small diameter in a region forwardly of the breech head so that the tubular member becomes smaller in its outer diameter and the total weight of the firearm is reduced.